Chapter 17

Kurt followed a couple of people who appeared to be going to the other side of the street. They waited on the corner for a few moments. All the cars stopped. Everyone started across at the same time so he was glad he didn't try to run over by himself.

On the other side, he quickly went to the store and peered in the window. The shop was full of fairy dolls and figurines. A few had wings that moved and hung from a tree. He wanted to see more. The temperature dropped as he pushed the door open and entered.

"Welcome to The Fairytale Dollhouse! I'm Christy, what can I help you with?"

"I'd like to look around, is that all right?"

"Sure, everything is locked up because it's all tiny and most is fragile. If you want to see anything up close, I'll be glad to show you. And our fairy tale houses and fairy houses are over here." She gestured to the wall behind her.

"These are beautiful," Kurt said. "I love this one." The outside looked like a tree stump with a door and a few windows as the only indications that it was something more. The inside was two floors, one large room on each. Placing box bed would leave the rest of the space feeling cramped. It would be lovely to set up a bedroom with a smaller bed and create a seating area on the bottom floor.

Christy smiled. "The fairy tree house is our most popular one. We have it available as a kit if you're interested. We also carry a decorating kit with paint and supplies to create a similar outside."

Kurt was extremely interested, but he doubted he had enough money. How difficult would it be to talk Blaine into coming back? It would mean admitting he'd left the park. And even if he asked how much it cost, her answer would be meaningless to him. He'd get Blaine to teach him money as soon as possible.

"I don't think I have enough money right now, but I'm going to try and come back later today."

"Okay. Take your time looking and let me know if you have questions."

Kurt examined each of the fairy tale houses. He didn't recognize most of them. Blaine would.

"If a new house is beyond your budget, we also have books on how to make furniture and decorations." She reached behind one of the houses and pulled out a rocking chair. "What would you say this is made of?"

"Twigs," Kurt said. The chair's design was of tiny wooden branches twisted artfully together.

Christy said, "Hold it and tell me if you still think that."

Kurt picked the chair carefully, surprised at its weight. "It's metal," he said.

"Yep. It fools everyone. We sell it by the spool."

Kurt pulled the money Blaine had given him out of his pocket and held it up. "Do I have enough to buy some?"

"More than enough for a spool, two if you want. And you get a booklet on crafts you can make from it. If you measure carefully, you'll have enough between the two spools for a rocking chair, the end table, two chairs, and a couch. The book also has suggestions and tip for other projects.

The phone buzzed in Kurt's pocket. He pulled it out and checked the screen. Time to go. "I'll take two," Kurt said. "I'll try to come back later to see about the fairy house. I don't live nearby, so I may not be able to." Kurt handed her the money and she gave him a bag with his purchases and a few coins.

"Have a fantastic day," Christy said.

"You too."

Kurt stepped into the sunshine and blinked at the brightness. He looked right and left, trying to decide which way he'd come from. Not that it probably mattered because the park was enormous and he could see it from where he stood, but he was less likely to get lost if he went back the way he'd come.

Going left looked better, so he headed off that way, glancing at the shops he passed and deciding they looked familiar. If he'd been able to read, it would have been easier. Kurt crossed the street with a group of people, again waiting for them to start before walking. Cars still scared him and he wasn't sure what made them stop and go at the same time.

The area of the park he entered was the the part he'd exited, so he followed the path back towards amphitheater. He found it will little trouble. There was no line at the back entrance. Poking his head in, he saw a few people who were settling on the benches and getting comfortable. Guessing it was okay to find a seat, Kurt went in and straight for the front. He wanted to see Blaine singing from close.

A little girl sat down next to him a few minutes later, her mother on the other side talking on a cell phone. Kurt smiled and she smiled back. "I'm Lydia," she announced.

"My name is Kurt. It's nice to meet you."

"My brother Jeff is a Warbler and he's singing today. That's why mommy and me are here." Lydia looked nothing like Jeff, except for the pale skin. Where he was tall and blonde, she was short with long, dark ringlets and freckles.

"I know Jeff," Kurt said. "He's very nice." Kurt had no idea how old she was. If she were a fairy, he'd guess about six or seven.

"He's going to a party tonight and mom had to bring him some clothes. He said it's a Halloween party, but I know Halloween is in October, not June. Boys are weird."

Kurt laughed. "I think boys can be weird, too."

"Do you go to school with Jeff?" she asked.

"No, but have you met Blaine Anderson?"

She nodded. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Yes." He started to add that would be getting married shortly, but Lydia cut him off.

"He looks like Prince Eric." Her expression turned dreamy. "You can be...hmm. Not Prince Charming. He's boring and doesn't do anything. And not Beast, you're not big or scary. I know. Prince Phillip! He saves his true love from a dragon. And Eric saves Ariel from the sea witch. That's perfect. You can save each other."

Kurt wondered if Sebastian would be the sea witch in this scenario or the dragon. Or maybe the sea witch was a dragon and they can defeat him together. "Is Eric from The Little Mermaid," Kurt asked tentatively. It, once again, sounded like something he should know. He'd watched the movie but couldn't remember.

"Of course, silly," she said. "And Prince Phillip is from Sleeping Beauty."

"I haven't seen that one."

"You haven't?" Her tone made it clear this was a tragedy.

"Lydia," her mom cautioned, "not everyone is as obsessed with Disney princesses as you are. And you shouldn't be bothering this nice young gentleman."

"But Mo-om, he's friends with Jeff and he's dating Jeff's friend Blaine," Lydia said. "I'm not bothering you, right Kurt? It's boring when I have to sit and be good with no one to talk to." She glared at her mom.

Kurt giggled. "I like talking to you and I think it's boing to sit still and be good. Making a new friend is lots more fun."

The amphitheater continued to full with spectators as they chatted. Jeff's mom talked on the phone, not paying much attention to Lydia, except to periodically tell her to quit squirming. If Kurt were younger, he'd fidget, too.

"Want to see something neat?" he asked, hoping he was correct and she would like it.

"Yes."

He held out his palm and grew a bubble. Lydia clapped in delight, bouncing in her seat. Kurt pursed his lips and blew. The bubble lifted up and hovered a few inches from her nose.

Lydia reached out a finger and touched it. "Oh, how did you do that?" she asked, as she carefully plucked the bubble out of the air.

"I saw children blowing them earlier by the swings. It's the same."

"No, it's not," she insisted. "These are better. The ones I make always pop when I touch them."

Oops. "I..uh," Kurt stammered.

She rolled it off her fingers and the bubble floated, bobbing gently. "This is a magic bubble. Can you make more?"

Figuring that a couple of bubbles couldn't make more trouble than only one, Kurt grew four the same size and let them drift.

Lydia sat mesmerized, eyes darting from one to the next. "They're so pretty," she breathed.

"Thanks," Kurt said, feeling his cheeks heat.

She grabbed one of the bubbles and squeezed it, letting out a soft gasp when it burst. Lydia quickly popped the others.

"I like you better than Amy. Instead of telling Jeff to make Blaine watch Sleeping Beauty with you, I'm going to tell Jeff to watch it with you. Then you can date him instead and you'll come over all the time and make bubbles for me."

"Lydia!" Kurt jumped when Lydia's mom shouted.

"What," Lydia whined.

"You can't try to get people to date your brother so they will play with you. That isn't how it works."

Lydia crossed her arms and stuck her lower lip out. "It should."

"I'm sorry," her mother said, "I'm Madeline."

"Kurt."

"I hope my daughter didn't...offend you."

"Oh, no," Kurt said. "Jeff is really nice. If I wasn't marring Blaine, I would be happy to date your son." Kurt didn't think Jeff would be happy about it. He was loudly vocal in his appreciation of boobs.

"Blaine Anderson?" Madeline asked. Her mouth hung open.

"Yes," Kurt said.

"Blaine is a good friend of Jeff's. What did his parents say when you guys told them?" she asked. "I imagine his dad was unpleasant at best.

Uh oh. Kurt gulped. Cooper insisted that their parents not be invited and Blaine had decided not to say anything to either of them. "We're going to be living in Los Angeles," Kurt said, repeating the explanation Blaine had given him for not inviting his parents. Which didn't actually explain why, but if Blaine and Cooper didn't want their dad there, Kurt wouldn't insist.

"Ah," Madeline said. "Hopefully by the time it's legal in California, Mr. Anderson will stop being an idiot. If not, you'll be far away."

Kurt nodded, unsure what she meant.

A man in a suit stepped onto the stage. "Welcome to the eighth annual Spring Concert here at Chadwell Park. We are starting off with the Dalton Academy Warblers from Westerville!"

The Warblers filed in from both sides of the stage. Blaine stood in the middle, his eyes searching the crowd until they fell on Kurt. The harmony began and Blaine sang.

You think I'm pretty without any make-up on

You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong

I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down

Before you met me, I was alright

But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life

Now every February you'll be my Valentine, Valentine

Let's go all the way tonight

No regrets, just love

We can dance until we die

You and I, we'll be young forever

They looked amazing, dancing in sync, Blaine in the lead. Kurt had been sung to on a few different occasions, but nothing like this. He wanted them to spend their lives together. And even if the audience didn't realize it, Blaine was declaring his love for Kurt in front of them all.

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream

The way you turn me on, I can't sleep

Let's runaway and don't ever look back

Don't ever look back

My heart stops when you look at me

Just one touch, now baby I believe

This is real, so take a chance

And don't ever look back, don't ever look back

I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans

Be your teenage dream tonight

Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans

Be your teenage dream tonight

Enthusiastic applause thanked the Warblers for their first number. They smiled and waved at the crowd. Blaine kept his eyes on Kurt the entire time.

The concert continued, and Kurt lost track of how many they sang. Kurt had heard Blaine practice them and two he still didn't understand. What was a wonderwall, anyway? And why would you sound so happy about being miserable? The song about wanting the person back made sense, even if he couldn't figure out why they stopped being together in the first place. The Warblers finished with a song about fireflies which was Kurt's favorite, after Teenage Dream.

He clapped loudly with everyone else when the performance concluded. The same guy who announced the Warblers let the crowd know that the next group would be up in fifteen minuets.

Kurt was saved from Lydia's demands for bubbles and Madeline's demands for information by Jeff and Blaine coming down the side of the stage and straight for them.

"You were magnificent," Kurt said, throwing his arms around his fiance. "You were good, too," he said to Jeff.

"Thanks," Jeff said drily.

"Jeff I want you to date Kurt," Lydia said. "Blaine hasn't shown him Sleeping Beauty and I like him better than your girlfriend."

Blaine pulled out of Kurt's embrace and Jeff burst out laughing. "I'm not fighting Blaine for Kurt, Lydia. And if I tried to date him, I'd have to."

"But he makes magic bubbles and Amy doesn't," Lydia insisted.

Madeline tilted her head to the side. "What are magic bubbles?"

"Mrs. Sterling, I need to talk to Kurt for a few moments and go to the washroom before we have to get back on the bus." Blaine said. "It was nice to see you again."

"Okay, and I hear congratulations are in order," she said. "I think you're too young, but good luck."

"Thank you. Jeff, I'll be on the bus on time."

Jeff winked at them and Blaine flushed red. He glared at his friend, but it didn't stop him from laughing.

"By Kurt," Lydia said. "You can still come visit me even if you won't date Jeff."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Where did you go?" Blaine asked, nudging Kurt's bag.

"The fairy dollhouse store across the street. They have a beautiful fairy house that looks like a tree. It's not big enough for the box bed, but it would be great to set up a bed room and a sting room. And look." Kurt pulled the spool of metal twig out and showed it to Blaine. "It's metal, but it looks like wood."

Kurt babbled about how they had to go buy the house all the way to the restroom. A quick stop in one of the stalls and Kurt was safely hidden in the pocket of the blazer. The ride back to the hotel was uneventful. Since the boys were on their own for lunch, Blaine went up to the room to change. He'd have to change back before singing in the hotel that evening, but he didn't want to spill on his jacket. Kurt grumbled when he realized Sebastian was tagging along to the room, probably to try and see Blaine with his shirt off.

A door closed and another. Blaine scooped Kurt out of his pocket and hissed, "Grow before he finishes washing his hands."

In the blink of an eye, Kurt was human sized and slightly tweaking his shirt. Sebastian exited the bathroom with a glass of water and stopped short, his jaw dropping slightly. "Where did you come from?"

"I told you he's a wizard," Blaine said. "He has an invisibility cloak. It was a gift from his late father."

Now that sounded useful. Kurt wondered where he could get one.

Sebastian set the glass on the end table and flopped back onto the bed he and Blaine were to share that night, putting his hands behind his head. "I know-"

A knock at the door cut him off.

"Who is it?" Blaine called.

"Mr. Jenkins."

"Just a minute." Blaine grabbed Kurt's arm. "Shrink and hide in the bathroom," he whispered under his breath.

Kurt nodded. He couldn't resist smirking as he left. Sebastian was sure to think he'd get caught. Without bothering to close the door, he shank and landed on top of a pile of towels on a shelf by the ceiling. Kurt could see part of the door reflected in the mirror.

Blaine opened it and Mr. Jenkins stepped inside.

"I wanted to remind you that we have to be in the dining room at five sharp so we can eat before we sing. And bed checks at ten. Anyone out of their room after that will be in trouble. Sebastian, this means you. I know your father is a states attorney, but I don't care. Do we understand each other?"

"Perfectly," Sebastian said. Kurt didn't trust the bright, friendly tone he used. "I'm so sorry!"

Kurt froze. What had Sebastian done now?

"I don't know how I knocked the glass over," Sebastian said. "I'm so clumsy. Why don't you go get a towel out of the bathroom?"

Mr. Jenkins went into the bathroom, grabbed the towel hanging on the shower door, and dried off his sleeve. Kurt wanted to giggle. The teacher opened the door to the shower and to the little room with the toilet. "I'm glad you aren't trying to hide anyone in here." He rehung the towel and said, "You're acting suspicious and I don't want any funny business tonight, Mr. Smythe," before he left.

Kurt poked his head out as soon as the door closed. "Nice try."

Sebastian's eyes went wide and his mouth fell open. "How did you do that?"

"Don't mess with me, Sebastian," Kurt said with a smile that was almost a grimace, "you have no idea what your dealing with."